Restaurant owners protest Lebanon smoking ban
餐廳業者抗議黎巴嫩禁菸令

A waitress walks past a “no smoking” sign next to an ashtray in a cafe in Beirut on Sept. 3.一位女服務生九月三日在黎巴嫩貝魯特一家咖啡廳內，行經一個放在菸灰缸旁的「請勿吸菸」標牌。

Photo: AFP照片：法新社

Restaurant owners and employees have staged a sit-in to protest a new smoking ban in closed public places.

The ban on smoking in places like restaurants and pubs went into effect on Sept. 3.

The restaurant owners say the ban will harm their businesses, where many Lebanese are used to smoking cigarettes and puffing on water pipes. Dozens demonstrated in a restaurant district north of Beirut.

Lebanon’s parliament passed the law banning smoking in closed public places last year. Violators will be subject to fines of about US$90 (NT$2,600) for the client and US$900 for the offending owner. The law also bans cigarette advertising.

Smoking is common in Lebanon. A recent study showed about half of Lebanon’s adults are smokers.

Officials say Lebanon spends about US$350 million annually on treatment of smoking-related diseases.